Goya (Sweden) TS-5 / 1967 / Twelve Strings and the Truth

Offered for sale is a beautifully built Goya TS-5 Twelve String, made by the Herman Carlson Levin corporation in Sweden.  Made in 1967, this guitar pre-dates Martin’s acquisition (and subsequent ruination) of Goya Guitars, and is a testament to the exacting standards of Levin guitars.  It is in Excellent condition, with a very fast action and a big, jangly voice.  Twelve frets to the body and a wide nut, make for an easy playing twelve string, be it strummed or picked.

Swedish Goya guitars were known for their build quality and choice of excellent tone woods. Couple that with classic design elements and it adds up to one fantastic guitar.  This example is nearly flawless.  The only thing keeping this from being considered Mint condition, is the other characteristic of all Swedish made guitars, weather checking.  It has a lot of finish checking  and some incredibly minor scratches (none through the finish), but that is the extent of the wear and tear.

Here are the important specs:

12 Frets to the Body

Top: Alpine Spruce

Back and Sides: Solid Flamed Bookmatched Maple

Neck: Mahogany

Fretboard and Bridge: Rosewood

Lower Bout: 16”

Upper Bout: 12”

Body Depth: 4 3/4”

Nut Width: 2”

String Spacing at Bridge: 2 7/16”

Scale: 24 7/8”

Saddles: Individually height adjustable

Action at Twelfth Fret:  Low D: 5/64” High D 1/16”

Coming into the shop, the guitar needed very little beyond some cosmetic work and a proper set up.  We made a new heel cap for it, and replaced the pickguard, which was loose in the case. Our feeling was that the original white pick guard’s aesthetic was out of date, so we replaced it with a tortoise shell guard, made to the same specs.  The original will be included in the case. The action was a little too high, so we reset the neck angle.  On Goya guitars, this is relatively easy, as the necks are bolted on in what was a proprietary design for them (now used on many guitars).  We loosened the bolts, sanded the profile of the heel, and then tightened them back up.  We strung the guitar with a fresh set of D’Addario 80/20 Bronze Light Gauge Strings (.010 - .046) and set the individual saddle heights for the proper action.  

It is quite a player!  The neck is dead straight and the action is very quick, especially for a twelve string. It plays cleanly up and down the fretboard with no buzzing or fretting out.  The Maple back and sides give the guitar a bright and powerful tone, and the depth of the body lets this instrument really project.  The tuning machines work perfectly and the guitar holds a tuning very well.  We have it tuned to D Standard (D-G-C-F-A-D), in part to minimize stress on the neck, but largely to keep the octave G from snapping!  These strings are ultra light gauge (.008) and are essentially “E” strings tuned up.  In an E Standard tuning, this would mean up to a “G,” and that is asking a lot of a .008 string.  In D Standard, it is only tuned up half a step, to F.  The neck is rock solid and it will take a tuning up to E, but we would recommend that if you do so, change the octave G to at least a .010 gauge.

The guitar comes with its original hard shell case, which shows some wear on the outside but has a clean, lined and padded interior, in very good condition.  You’ll love the German latches, which open and close without need of lifting the bail into place.

Check the photos carefully, as we have tried to capture this guitar from all angles.

This Goya TS-5 is sold AS IS and is not returnable unless it arrives in a condition other than as described or photographed, here.

Serial Number: 3662006 (1967)

Price: $1000.00 plus $145 shipping (Lower 48 USA, only)